Page 9 - Waste-to-Energy in the Danube Strategy Region. Challenges and Prospects

The most recent iteration of the WFD also sets out the so-called waste hierarchy. This

hierarchy is part of a broader move at the EU level to push towards a circular economy in which
resources are kept within the economy for as long as possible (see Figures 1 & 2). Waste should

therefore no longer be regarded as a burden to be disposed of but a resource to be used in other

processes. The relevance of the hierarchy for WtE is that such treatment of waste is now

considered a viable option only where the given waste cannot be first prevented, reused or

recycled. Nevertheless, WtE is still regarded as preferable both environmentally and economically
to landfilling, which is seen as the least desirable option (European Parliamentary Research Service

2017).

In terms of landfilling, Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste is the main EU
legislation in this area. In particular, it addresses the need to reduce the amount of biodegradable

waste sent to landfill due to environmental considerations. It also sets specific targets for

landfilling rates for Member States, exemption conditions, and penalties for failure to comply. The

most recent target is to reduce the amount of municipal waste sent to landfill to a maximum of
10% of total municipal waste generated by 2035.

Figure 1. WtE processes in relation to the waste hierarchy (EC 2017b)

Project co-funded by the European Union
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